Cutter supporting means for well drills



Patented Feb. 11, 1936 PATi'sNTv OFFICE Y,

surroa'rmo MEANS Fort Floyd L. scott 'WELL` DRILLS l and Lewis E. Garfield, Houston,y

4 Tex., assignors to Hughes Tool Company, Houston, Tex., a corporation of Texas 1 Application June 27, 1935, serial No. 28,592

1o claims. (01.255-71) Our invention relates to well drills to be employed in drilling deepwells for water, oil, gas and the like. It has particular reference to bits of this character having rolling cutters thereon.

It is an object of the invention to provide a construction of well drill in which the cutters and the shafts upon which they` are mounted can be easily assembled in cutting position upon the head. It is a further object to provide `supporting means for the cutter shafts which are capable of adjustment at any time to accommodate wear.

It is another object of the invention to provide a well drill in which the cutters are mounted in open position where they can easily"be flushed and cleared of mud or other material tending to adhere thereto.

We contemplate the construction of a well drill in whichthe cutters mayl easily rotate and be kept free of material so that they will not clog, said drill beingof cheap and simple constructie not liable to get out oforder. i i 4Referring to the drawing herewith: Y Fig. l is a central longitudinal section through a well drill embodying our invention, said section being taken approximately on the line I--l of Fig. 2.

` Fig. 2 is a similar longitudinal section taken at right angles to the one shown in Fig. 1 and on'the line 2--2 of Fig. 1. l

Fig. 3 is a transverse section on the line 3--3 of Fig. 1. y

Fig. 4 is a perspective view on a somewhat reduced scale showing one'of the supporting elements employed in the invention.`

Our construction is generally in the form of what is known as the cross roller bit. We have a ing member 4.

'I'he shaft supporting member I is mounted within a slot 5 cut longitudinally of the'projecting ridge 3. The inner wall` of Athe recess or slot 5` is of irregular contour as shown in Figs. 1 and 21to accommodate the inner side of the supportl ing member 4.

'Ihe supporting member l is shown best in Fig.

4. It includes a narrow body member 1, which is provided between itsends with atransverse opening 8 to receive the pivot pin 9 upon which it is `toothed to engage the formation and` adapted an arm which isl provided `with a threaded opening therein to receive the set screw I I. VSaid screw is provided witha forward end l2 adapted to bear upon an inclined shoulder 4Il on the inner wall o'f the slot `5. i

r p r s 'I'he lower end of the supporting member l is provided with a head i4 which is wider than the body of the support and has upper shoulders I5 to engage below the lower end of the head shownv in `dotted lines at I6 in Figs. 1 and 2. The said l0 head I 4 proiectsbelow the body ofthe blt and has an opening il at its lower end tol receive the end of the particular shaft which it supports.

The body of the bit I has centrally thereof a chamber lI8 which forms a water course to conl5- 20 to discharge the flushing iluid on the cutters of the bit. At each side of the lower end oi the 20 head about the water course 4are outer faces 2l which form the inner .walls of the, slots 5 andagainst which the supporting members 4V may contact, as will belater noted.

The cutters lupon the bitare mounted upon two transverse shafts 22 and 23,` said shafts being mounted at right anglesto each other, the shaft 23 extending through an opening in the shaft 22. 'I'he shaft 23 is shown in Fig.`2 as extending diametrically across the lower end of the bit and 30 having its reduced. ends 24 supported in thelower ends of the supporting arms 4'. Upon this shaft are mounted a plurality of disc-,shaped cutters 25 to roll upon the shaft through roller bearing 3-5 members 26. The cutters are separated from each other on the shaft bywashersll.

As `will be noted from Fig. 2,v the cutters are arranged to provide a mounting for three cutters o at one side of the central portion of the bit and f two cutters on the other side, thereby arranging said cutters so that each will cut its own track on the bottom of the hole.

On the shaft 22 are mounted two inclinedside cutters 28 which are' `inclinedinwardly at their 45' upper ends,the lower ends projecting outwardly and beveled at 29 to cut the side wall of thehole and cut a clearance on the well bottom for the lower ends of the supports 4' for the cutter shaft 50 23; As will be" noted the shaft 22 s inclined upwardly at each end so as to furnish a mounting for the cutters 28, allowing the said cuttersvto incline in the manner described-` The ends il o! the shaft 22 are supported in openings inthe lower ends of the supporting arms I. The side cutters 28 are provided with roller` bearingsll to facili--` tate their rolling action on the bottom of the hole.`

1 It will be seen that the cutters in this type of drill aremounted on arms extending down below the main body or the drm. There are 1mm 0 openings between adjacent arms which allow the flushing iluid to iiow freely through and around the cutters upon the bottom of the hole.

, When the cutters are assembled for mounting in the bit the two shafts 22 and 23 are assembled together in the manner, shown and the cutters 25 andl 28 are positioned thereonrfor operation and the arms 4 and 4' are then connected to the ends of the shafts and the assembly moved up# wardly into position so that the pins 9 supporting the arms l and 4' are inserted and fixed in; place. The set screws I l are then tightened into position. It is obvious, as shown in the dri-wing, that one set screw can be tightened to thro'e';l the lower end of the arm against the shoulder 2i and that the other armcan then be tightened by means of its set screw Il to clamp the lower ends of the arms against shoulders shown at 32 and 32' on the shafts 22 and 23, respectively.

When the Vcutter shafts are thus clamped rigidly in place the completed drill bit assumes a rigid construction which is particularly strong. If, however, any wear occurs in the operation of the bit which tends to loosen the cutters upon'the shaft any play may be taken up by further tightening' of the set screw Il. Y

In a construction of this kind the parts which may be subject to wear are readily replaceable and if the'lower ends of the arms l finally become worn enough to necessitate replacing. this may be readilyfdone at a small expense. The head I of the drill may thus be used for long periods of timewithoutnecessityof removal. Cutters may be furnished for the drill in assembled position upon arms 4 ready to be mounted upon the bit head without loss of time. The construction is therefore economical to use and easily mounted in position on the head. i

i It is also an advantage thatthe cutter shaft supports 1 cannot easily become lost in the'well through loosening or wear. Thev said supports fit closely within the slots 'Si as will be seen in Fig. 3. In fact the inner and lateral faces contact closely with the Walls of the slot. 'Ihe cutters could not be lost until the pivot pins 9 are removed, and loss of cutters is thus prevented.

What we claim as new is:

1. A well drill including a head. adiametrical cross shaft at theforward end thereof, a side cutter shaft' at right angles to said cross shaft and shaped with its ends inclined upwardly from' the center, a row of disc shaped, cutters on said cross shaft, afpair oi' side cutters onsaid side cutter shaft, and arms pivotally attached to said head tosupport the ends -of said shafts.

2. A well drill including a head, a vdiametrical cross shaft at the forward end thereof, Aa side cutter shaft at right angles to said cross shaft and shaped with its ends inclined upwardly from the center, a row of disc shaped cutters on said cross shaft, a pair of side .cutters on said side cutter shaft, said head having spaced vertical grooves therein, arms pivotally supported in said grooves and'having their lower ends extending below said head, said lower ends serving to support said shafts.

3. A well drill including a head, a diametrical cross shaft atthe forward end thereof, a side cutter shaft at right angles to said cross shaft and shaped with its ends inclined upwardly from the center, a row of disc shaped cutters on said cross shaft, a pair of` side cutters on said side cutter shaft, pivot pins mounted transversely of longitudinal grooves in said head, and arms piv oted between their ends on said pins, the lower ends of said arms projecting below said head. the said lower endsv being formed with openings to receive the ends of said shafts and means to clamp the lower ends of said arms inwardly on said shafts.

4. A well drillincluding a head, opposed longitudinal ridges on said head, said ridges being formed with longitudinal grooves, arms supported pivotally in saidV grooves, the lower endsvof said arms projecting below said head, a cutter shaft supported in `said lower ends, cutters on said shaft, and means at the upperend of each of said arms to clamp said -armsrig'idly upon said shaft.

5. A well drill including a head, opposed longitudinal ridges on said head, said ridgesbeing formed with longitudinal grooves, arms supported pivotally in said grooves, the lower ends of said arms projecting below said head, a` cutter shaft supported in saidlower ends, cutters on said shaft,

in transverse section, the four arms of the, cross comprising longitudinal ridges on said head, said ridges being grooved to receive shaft supporting arms, arms in said grooves, pivot pins transversely of said grooves supporting said arms, setsorews at the upper ends of said arms to engage said head and move the upper ends of said arms outwardly, cutter shafts supported in the lower ends of said arms, said arms being tightened on said shafts when said set screws are screwed inwardly.

7. A well drill including a head, cross shaped in transverse section, the four arms of the cross comprising longitudinal ridges on said head, said ridges being grooved to` receive shaft supporting arms, arms in said grooves, pivot pins transversely of said grooves supporting said arms, set screws- 8. A well drill comprising a head, arms set in y grooves longitudinally of said head, means pivotally supporting said arms in saidgrcoves, cutter supports on said arms of wider dimensions than said arms extending below 'said head, cutter shafts on said supports and cutters on said shafts. 1

9. A well drill comprising a head, arms set in grooves longitudinally of said head, means pivotally supporting said arms in said grooves, cutter supports on said arms of wider dimensions than said arms extending below said head, cutter shafts on said supports, means to adjustably clamp the lower ends of said arms against said shafts, and cutters on said shafts.

10. A well drill comprisingja head,arms set in grooves longitudinallyv of said head, means pivotally supporting said arms in'said grooves, cutter supports on said arms of wider dimensions than said arms extending below said head, cutter shafts onsaid supports,r means to force the lower ends of said arms inwardly on said shafts', means on said head to limit such inward movement, and cutters `on said shafts.

FLOYD L. 'scorn E; aannam. 

